


The Awakening | DISCONTINUED

by StrayKidzBop



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: A BIG universe., Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Gigantic Cast, Hwang Hyunjin-centric, M/M, Multi, Post Earth, Slow Burn, like huge, multifandom - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:20:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22300243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrayKidzBop/pseuds/StrayKidzBop
Summary: It's been more than a millenium since the destruction of Earth, yet the human species still managed to survive despite circumstances. The new world was nothing special. People continued on with their old habits, easily adapting onto their new life.Though it seems like things are doing just fine, the government has many secrets hidden away from its people. Hoping for their true history to remain untold.-The AU where they live in a different planet because Earth died. The cause of the downfall was global warming. Oh and there's a parallel universe.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Kim Seungmin, Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27
Collections: My Stray Kids Fanfictions





	1. PLEASE READ!

**Author's Note:**

> RE-EDITED THE ENTIRE STORY

Before going into the story, I want all the readers who are interested in actually getting into the story to momentarily pay attention to this page.

It's not going to be long, I promise.

Anywho, I want to inform everyone of what to expect before diving into this mess:

  * **WARNINGS**



\- Mentions of violence, death, blood, war, mature and vulgar language

  * **Will contain long chapters**



\- They're going to be descriptive, occasionally, so I apologize for that.

  * **You** ** _WILL_** **get confused**



\- So please focus on small details, but not every single detail.

~ If you feel like the story's getting somewhat confusing, then I suggest you don't skim read and actually read the entire passage.

  * **This story has a large cast of characters**



\- I will always try my best to add every character that's in the chapters on the bottom of the page, in case anyone gets lost or mixed up.

\- A LOT of idols' ages will be different from their actual ages, to fit in with their character and role.

\- Their character roles and behavior do **not** depict how they are in the real world in any way.

Adding onto that-

  * **There will be a glossary in most chapters**



\- I will be using some terms that aren't really used on a daily basis so if you get lost in any way, don't worry, I'll provide index.

If you are confused about a certain situation,

  * **You can ALWAYS ask me for clarifications on the comment section**



\- I have things to do outside of writing, so I really am sorry if it takes me forever to answer your questions.

~ But rest assure that I will not leave any questions, regarding the story, unanswered.

SYMBOLS AND MARGINS

• : Time skip, the same character view

\- : A quick time skip

• • • : Changing to another character's perspective.

That's really it, for now, but thank you for taking the time to read this.

This will be the last time I'll interrupt, promise.

Just one more thing:

**_I hope you guys are ready and I really do hope you'll enjoy this story._**  
  


© 2020 StrayKidzBop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Why the copyright?" you may ask?
> 
> Well, I'm actually planning on publishing this story as its own series.
> 
> I've been writing this story for over a year now and I really didn't have any motivation on continuing it until this year and decided to continue writing it but as a fanfiction.
> 
> Of course I'll be using my own characters rather than the idols, because of obvious reasons, but I really do hope the fanfiction will help me first draft out the outcome of the actual series as I write along.


	2. Map of Miradona

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This map thing frustrated me so much.

I had a hard time trying to add the image of the map in and if it doesn't show here's a link to it instead:

[Map of Miradona](https://my.w.tt/U2q7E7BpW9)

09\. 05. 2020: My Wattpad got pawned so I'm trying to find another platform where I can post the map, I apologize for not being able to share the map at the moment.

09\. 20. 2020: Map is up on Wattpad! Press the link to view it.


	3. I. About Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyunjin's grandparents visits with a surprise along the way

THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN BETA READ

**Chapter 1: About Time**

To the eyes of many, magic is only an illusion; whether it'd be wishing on stars, flipping a coin down a well or a fountain, blowing away dandelion fuzz in hopes of being granted something one's always been longing for, they all seemed too surreal.

It is believed that the idea of magic was created by people who were on the brink of giving up but were somehow lucky enough to be struck by a blinding miracle, thus the concept was born.

Hyunjin had always believed in all things fantastical. Believing in such extraordinary ideology might seem foolish to most, but to him, they were just to be learned and discovered.

This, however, was near to impossible for Hyunjin. In fact, he's banned from getting a hold of anything with a concept that doesn't seem to exist in the real world. From comic books, to novels including dragon slaying teenagers and to movies with characters possessing supernatural powers, Hyunjin was prohibited from saying a single word about any of them.

Did he care? No, most definitely not. He has found ways to dodge his father's strict orders in the most simplest ways. In school, Hyunjin would spend most of his lunch time in the library, reading many books containing sorcery and enticing journeys. Apps on his phone and tv made it easy for him to have access to any shows or films that he's supposedly not allowed to watch.

He doesn't understand why his father was so against the perception of magic. He found the idea harmless and amusing. Having much knowledge about magic has led Hyunjin to many escapades away from reality, often finding those moments the most comforting when he's having a difficult time.

" _HYUNJIN_!"

Hyunjin could hear his name being called from a distance, he knew that was his cue to leave the somewhat cramped crawl space hidden behind his closet walls. An area he discovered when he was only four. He rushed out of the spot, locking it quickly and arranging his coats to keep the door well hidden before running out of his room.

"Hyunjin!" the voice repeated, "HYUNJIN-"

"I'm right here." he informs, panting heavily as he reaches the balcony that overlooked the first floor.

"Where have you been? Your father's been waiting to see you! And- why are you out of breath?" his nanny pointed out as he was making his way down to the first floor.

"Ah, sorry, I was doing... _stuff_." Hyunjin lied to cover up what he's been actually doing. The truth is, he was reading a book from a series he's been fond of ever since he was a child. Hyunjin still couldn't get enough of the stories and often finds himself rereading the books.

"Oh..." his nanny didn't question him any further. "Anyway, your father's out in the backyard having tea with your grandparents. Your presence is highly needed."

"Needed? That's some big word." Hyunjin let out a dry laugh, "Where exactly are they?"

"They're out in the pond, but are you really going out there looking like that?'' she eyed Hyunjin's messy attire with disgust.

"What's wrong with my outfit? I think I look great today." and he wasn't wrong. He wore a textured pink long sleeve top and cream colored pants. His cleavage area was exposed due to the untied ribbons.

His nanny walked towards him, securing the buttons on his shirt and pulling the pink ribbon in a tight loop. "You're growing up very fast, Hyunjin. Imagine what your grandparents would say after seeing you still dressing up like this."

"I think they wouldn't really mind. My grandfather used to always talk about how much of a ladies' man he was back in his days." he chuckled.

"Your grandparents may be okay with it but your father's a whole different story." his nanny sweeps the stray dark hair away from Hyunjin's forehead. "You haven't showered?"

"I'll do it later on, I have to prepare myself for Jinyoung's party tomorrow evening anyhow. Is it obvious? Do I smell?"

"You don't, in fact you smell like nothing. It's your hair, it feels like a bag of chips. When was the last time you've showered?"

"I shower everyday- every other day. You already know I take baths when I don't shower, I can never go a day without washing myself."

"Well why in the world is your hair so oily?"

"Second day hair is always like that."

"So you showered last night?"

"No, I took a bath last night. The water didn't touch my hair."

The middle aged woman sighed, "What ever shall I do with you?"

"At least it's better than not cleaning at all."

"I guess you're right." she gently pats Hyunjin's shoulders, "You should run along. You know how impatient your father gets."

"As long as grandma and grandpa are around, the old man isn't able to strike." Hyunjin's eyes creased into small crescents, alongside a soft laugh leaving his pretentious lips.

He hurriedly jogged around the place, bumping into some of the house staff and giving them his constant apologies and excuse mes , telling them that it's a "family thing"- in which most staff understood.

Once he was able to make it through the busy staff, Hyunjin had eventually found his way out to their unnecessarily enormous backyard.

He slid the door open, fixing his posture while running his hands through his clothing; trying his best to straighten them because according to his father, " _A single wrinkle is enough to make a person look unprofessional_." which Hyunjin didn't get whatsoever, because who in their right mind would actually pay so much attention to little details?

Hyunjin strayed away from the main area of the backyard, dragging his feet towards the slightly unexplored area of their property. He walked along the silent path, it wasn't at all eerie like he thought it would be- at least not as eerie as the last time he had taken the path.

Maybe it had something to do with the setting. Spring had just sprung and the cherry blossom trees, that covered almost the entirety of the land, had bloomed into their softly tinted pink petals; crowning the once bare head of the tree.

The walk to the pavilion didn't take very long, the timing was enough for Hyunjin to get distracted by the blooming flowers and the rebirth of many trees. Within a blink of an eye, Hyunjin had been faced with a familiar bridge that leads to where his father and grandparents had been waiting.

Like the trail, the pond itself was breathtaking. The place looked like it had jumped out straight off a fairy tale book. Water lilies scattered around the water with red, white, and orange fishes swimming beneath them. The scenery was completed by a row of weeping willows and wisterias circling the pond, topped off with the pavilion right in the middle of it all.

Hyunjin crouched down in the middle of the bridge, reaching his right hand down onto the water. It was cold, but it felt nice and relaxing. Never mind the fact that he felt a couple of fishes swimming right towards his palm. He decides to stop stalling and actually get to where he needed to be at the moment.

Whilst entering, he heard the adults having a conversation. He also noticed that a staff was inside with an empty cart, guessing she was there for the purpose of delivering the goods. In the midst of all the chattering and chewing, Hyunjin saw his father gazing at him.

Once meeting eyes with him, the gaze began to feel more like a glare, slightly frightening the lad. Hyunjin just heaved in, silently, as he made his way to an empty space in between his father and grandfather.

"Well would you look at that." Hyunjin's grandmother set her teacup down, dabbing the area around her lips with a cloth napkin, "The guest of honor has arrived."

"Hello grandma, grandpa." Hyunjin lightly dipped his head twice, "I don't recall you guys telling us you were going to come for a visit."

"We did, we told your father around a week ago. We even said we were going to stay for the whole weekend. You didn't tell him?" his grandmother turns her head towards his father- who was nimbly sipping his drink.

"I thought it'd be a good surprise." he answers straightforwardly. Hyunjin knew that it was a lie. His father just never makes time for him, ignoring him regularly as if he didn't have a son.

"I see."

"Well, I for one am glad that you kept it a secret." his grandfather cut in.

"How come?" asked Hyunjin.

"Because it means you'll be unaware of what you're about to receive."

"You didn't mention any gifts." his father spoke up.

"You're not the only one who likes surprises." his grandfather stood up, telling the staff to leave the family alone for a while.

"Mother, what is he talking about?" Hyunjin heard his father whisper in a slightly harsh tone.

"It's best I keep a shut mouth."

"But mother-"

"Here it is!" his grandfather came back, carrying a fairly large leather box, setting it down in front of Hyunjin.

"Do not tell me you're giving him your old wristwatch collection." his father places a hand on his forehead.

"No, I would never give my watches away. Those are original antiques made on Earth."

"You act like as if we're not Earthlings ourselves, darling." his grandmother rested a hand on his grandfather's arm.

"There's a difference between being human and being born on Earth. As far as I know, none of us here right now were born on Earth. Therefore, we are in no way considered Earthlings."

"I think what grandma means is that our kind are not native to Novrra, making us Earthlings." Hyunjin added in.

"Exactly my point. I can't believe your own grandson is outsmarting you like that."

"Grandma, please." Hyunjin chuckles.

"Anywho," his grandfather sat back down, "aren't you going to take a look at what's inside?"

Hyunjin gave his attention to the leather trunk in front of him, inspecting it as if there was anything else other than the lock right in the middle.

"Right, how could you open it without a key?" his grandfather facepalms, digging through his blazer's inner pockets. "Here we go." his grandfather hands him a decorative golden key.

"Are you sure this isn't a pendant for a necklace?"

His grandfather laughs, "More than sure."

Hyunjin inserts the key in, hearing a small click after turning it to the right. He removes the lock from the hinge, carefully opening the trunk.

Inside it was a red silk fabric, standing out from the burgundy velvet interior of the box. Hyunjin carefully pushes the fabric to the side, and there he saw three seperate golden colored metallic parts.

"Well?" his grandmother sings.

Hyunjin hesitantly tries to answer, "I have no words... is it pure gold?"

"One of the finest this universe could offer." his grandfather grins.

Hyunjin noticed something sparkle from the corner of his eyes, the shine was coming from underneath the silk cloth. He placed the fabric on the table and what he saw took him by surprise.

It looked like a crystal ball but with a slight tint of red. He noticed that one of the parts has a round cavity in it, Hyunjin was sure that the orb goes there.

"What exactly is this?"

"What do you think it is?" his grandmother asked.

"I think I know, but I'm not completely sure. Is it a scepter of some sort?" Hyunjin looks up, eyeing both of his grandparents for confirmation.

"A scepter..." Hyunjin heard his father mutter under his breath and before he knew it, his father had already closed the case. Locking the trunk and pulling it away from his son.

"Father-"

"I thought I'd made it clear. I don't want anything related to _it_ near my son."

"Your son's turning eighteen in less than two weeks. It's time for him to know." his grandfather argued.

"I've made up my mind long before he was born, and it hasn't changed since."

"You can't just hide this from him his whole life. He needs to know."

"Know what?" Hyunjin butts in.

"He doesn't need to know anything, and he's not going to know."

"Son, just tell him. It's not that big of a deal."

"But that's the thing, mom, it is that big of a deal. If so much as a word goes around, his entire life will be at risk. I'm sorry, but he can't accept this."

"But dad-"

"End of discussion." Hyunjin's father could do this thing in which he's able to intimidate anyone just by deepening the tone of his voice. That was enough to keep everyone in the household quiet for a whole day.

Hyunjin rose up from his seat, leaving without excusing himself. He wasn't mad, he wasn't furious either, he just didn't want to face his father at the moment.

Sure, he gets that his father is doing it for the sake of his safety but he needed to know why. What or who was his father trying to hide him from? Why did he make a whole commotion over his grandparents's gift? One thing he does know is that his father won't give him answers at any time now, or at all.

Hyunjin enters his room, locking the door behind him before flopping face down on his bed. He grabs his phone from the nearby night stand, checking it only to see messages from his friends, asking if he wanted to hang out with them hours ago. The messages were sent while Hyunjin was busy rereading an entire fantasy book series.

There were messages from the same friends asking if he was alright because it was taking him forever to answer their texts. In the end, his friends decided to go without him and they even took a picture together, sending it to their groupchat to tell Hyunjin that he'd missed out on a hell of a good day.

He couldn't say the same though. His day was going fine up until the whole thing that had happened in the pavilion just minutes ago. Hyunjin lightly tossed his phone in the empty area of his bed. He sunk his face onto a pillow, letting out a long sigh.

He started to question his life a bit more. It's not that he hasn't, he's always thought about how his life would be like if he had a bit more freedom, but that just seemed foolish now. Especially after receiving the gift he owned for like a minute.

He's still wondering why his father acted in such a way. What was the significance of that scepter and why did his father loathe it? More importantly, what did his grandparents mean by it's about time he knew about _it_. What was _it_?

  
The more Hyunjin thought of it, the more frustrated he got. He squished the pillow in between his ears, groaning heavily as he tried to stop thinking about everything he had just witnessed.

GLOSSARY 

**Novrra** : A new planet found in between Earth and Mars.   
• Shortened version of the Latin word for a new world- Novus Terra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is technically not an update, but I moved things around and I added the map and notes. I also edited this chapter but I still feel like there's a few mistakes left.
> 
> Chapter 2 will be out shortly.  
> \- and by shortly I mean when I wake up cause I'm too tired to post it and edit it rn.


	4. II. Weird Concept

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyunjin receives an important gift.

THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN BETA READ

**Chapter 2: Weird Concept**

Hyunjin's face felt disgusting, too tired to even bat an eye to check what was on it. He then heard a noise- a bark in that matter- he smiles realizing whom has caused it.

"Kkami," he groans exhaustingly, trying to get his dog out of his face. Kkami yelps as Hyunjin tries to sit up, in which he did successfully.

Hyunjin wipes his face with his sleeves to get rid of the mess Kkami had created on his face. "Isn't it too early for that?" he pets the top of Kkami's head. "Speaking of which, what time is it?"

Hyunjin searches for his phone, which was located exactly right where he left it the afternoon prior. He stretches out to reach for his phone, turning it on to look at the time.

"Seven am already," Kkami looks up at him, frantically wagging his tail. "Seems like I slept for more than ten hours yet I'm still tired, go figure." he scoffs as Kkami plops onto his crossed legs.

Hyunjin looks at his current state, he was a mess. He was still wearing the same clothes he wore yesterday, and like his nanny said- his hair felt like a bag of chips. Nevermind the sticky feeling all over his face, no thanks to his dog.

He felt his stomach churn, followed by a loud grumble that could probably be heard through his home's silent hallways. "Have you eaten yet?"

Kkami barks, "Is that a yes or a no?" the dog didn't answer, but instead jumps off the bed and saunters away from Hyunjin's bedroom.

He took this as a chance to get up from his bed and actually do something productive for the day, after all, he does have a party to get ready for. A great way to have a small day of pampering before the event.

-  
  


Hyunjin hears the sound of knocking on his bedroom door from his bathroom. Must be his nanny checking to see if he's awake.

"Hyunjin, are you here?"

"I'm in the bathroom!" he shouts softly while opening a sheet of face mask.

"Alright, just here to let you know breakfast is ready."

"I'll be down in a while, thanks!" Hyunjin proceeds with unraveling the face mask, sticking it onto his freshly washed face.

He exits the bathroom, plopping back down on his bed, setting the timer on his phone for fifteen minutes.

Hyunjin decides to text his friends but no surprise, they were all busy. Especially Jinyoung- whose family are hosting the biggest gala to ever happen in the history of Ribun, perhaps Novrra as a whole. The gala wasn't exclusive to the elites, anyone was allowed to go, seeing as the event is an important scientific breakthrough- apparently.

Hyunjin scrolled through his social media pages, swiping through different news articles and digital tabloids, nothing interesting was really happening when it came to big celebrities. Same old irrelevant dramas that seemed to entertain people. Personally, Hyunjin could care less about them.

However, he did notice how Jinyoung's parents were everywhere. Their faces in every article, names in every paragraph- to billboard signs and TV headlines. With his mother being a botanist and a zoologist for a father, it doesn't really come to a surprise when one sees the "World Renown Bae Duo" as the main topic of- well- everything.

Jinyoung's mother found her spot under the light when Jinyoung was only a mere child. Jinyoung was apparently diagnosed with a new form of disease, native to Novrra.

Like all diseases, it all started when Jinyoung fell ill. His parents thought it was just a simple cold at first, but it slowly turned into a high fever and soon enough- the young boy began to catch something far more serious.

Hyunjin doesn't really know the details, all he knows is that Jinyoung gained behavioral issues for a while to the point that medics thought he wasn’t just sick, rather something was controlling him. Like a negative spirit of some sort.

He takes several screenshots of different articles, sending it to Jinyoung. After a couple of minutes chatting with his friends through texts, Hyunjin hears a knock coming from his door.

"Hyunjin, your food's getting cold." a staff barged into his room, carrying a stack of sheets and blankets as she tried to keep the door open with her left foot.

"Right, sorry." Hyunjin immediately bolted up from his bed, running a hand through his hair to keep them away from the mask. "I'll just go ahead and take this off, I'll be down in a minute."

The staff nodded as she struggled to close the door. Hyunjin notices it, contemplating whether he should lend a hand before he takes the mask off or just go straight to his bathroom then down the kitchen; where his first meal of the day is impatiently waiting.

"Do you need help with those?" he asked anyway.

"Oh, that wouldn't be necessary. Thank you anyhow." the maid dips her head as Hyunjin closes the door for her.

He then walks back to his bathroom, discarding the mask, and hurrying down to the kitchen. There he found his grandparents eating breakfast peacefully in the nook.

"Good morning grandma, grandpa." he bows down before having a seat right across from them.

"Good morning Hyunjin. You've already taken a shower?" his grandmother passes a tray of toasted sliced bread along with the butter dish.

"Yeah, I fell asleep yesterday afternoon and didn't wake up until seven this morning."

"Oh that's right, no wonder you weren't there for dinner. I was wondering where you were."

"Why didn't anyone wake me?"

"Your father said you were a heavy sleeper. Nearly impossible to disturb your slumber. He also said you tend to get very grumpy if someone does. I wonder how you do with natural disasters." his grandmother stops the staff from picking up the pitcher, telling her that she'll handle it herself.

"Well, I guess it runs through the family." his grandfather laughed wholeheartedly, making Hyunjin smile warmly.

"You must be famished. Please, do help yourself." his grandmother kept passing out dishes of food, one right after the other.

"Grandma, it's okay. Really." Hyunjin stops her hand from moving, "I think I have more than enough on my plate already. This could probably last me the whole day."

"Oh... well, alright. If you say so." she draws her hand back, lifting up a cloth napkin onto the side of her lips.

Hyunjin reaches for the plate of hash and eggs, piling it up on top of his two pieces of buttered toast. "Did dad already leave?" he asks.

"I'm afraid so." his grandmother sighs.

"What are you afraid for?" his grandfather jokes.

"It's just that- Hyunjin seems to be left alone for most of the time and it pains me to see you all by yourself, with your father being away and all."

"Not really, I have my friends to keep me company. Besides, father and I barely see each other. As long as he knows I'm doing okay, he's okay too."

"I find that rather pathetic." his grandmother bluntly states.

"On the bright side, I get a lot of freedom when he's not around."

"And he's not around to stop me from giving this to you." his grandfather lifts up the very familiar leather box. His grandfather gently pushes it towards Hyunjin, carefully trying not to knock down any tableware.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, grandpa? Dad has very strong feelings against that... _thing_."

"This is why we're giving this to you in secret."

"But why? What if he finds out?"

"Then that father of yours needs to man up because I'm passing it down to you, whether he likes it or not."

"What exactly is this thing?" Hyunjin knocks on the box.

"It's a family heirloom, dear." his grandmother answered.

"One in which you will pass on to your own children." his grandfather hands him a key.

Hyunjin tightly clutches onto the key, "Why do you trust me with this?"

"Because you're my blood." his grandfather simply answers, "I know you well enough to trust you with certain things. Just don't open it around people."

Hyunjin nods, deeply staring at the golden key. "I just don't get one thing."

Both of his grandparents looked up, giving their full attention to their grandson.

"What is it, Hyunjin?" his grandmother asked.

"What's so important about this- this _thing_? Why are you giving it to me?"

"Like I said, you and I come from the same bloodline-"

"Yes, I know- but why? There must be a real reason why you're trusting me with this heirloom."

The room fell in silence. His grandparents continued on with eating their meals, leaving Hyunjin's question unattended.

"Is it that serious that you can't trust me with it?"

"It's not that, Hyunjin." his grandmother tried to justify, "It's something you'll find out soon but for now, just please accept it without any further questions. Are you willing to do that?"

Hyunjin took in a deep breath through his nose, exhaling out a reply, "Yes, I am. Sorry for being so hard to work with."

"Don't be. You're just curious." his grandfather smiles flatly, "Why don't we hurry up and finish all of this before they get even more cold."

"You know," Hyunjin's grandmother started, "your grandfather and I are staying for a little longer. Our stay will extend for two weeks."

"If not, even longer." his grandfather added.

"How come?" Hyunjin asks with a full mouth.

"Something came up." his grandfather answers.

"Oh? What is it?" Hyunjin, being the curious one that he is, just had to ask.

"It's a political thing, that's all you need to know." his grandmother states.

"Does it have to do with dad trying to drop from being mayor?"

"Not exactly. It's not really something you're familiar with." his grandfather concludes.

"Oh... okay." Hyunjin jugs down a whole glass of water, wiping the excess area around his mouth with the back of his hand. "Is dad going to be home by the time the gala starts?"

"He said he'll be home before lunch, he just had something to take care of in the city hall." his grandmother points at his untouched napkin, telling him to use it rather than his bare hand.

"Speaking of which, your grandmother and I need to get our fittings done before lunch."

"Oh, that's right." Hyunjin's grandmother holds a hand on top of her mouth, "We better hurry, and Hyunjin, you could go look at the present whenever you'd like but remember, don't show it to anyone else, and I mean _no_ _one_."

"Especially father, got it."

"Also, don't go fooling around with it either, it's an old, delicate piece. Ancient."

"How ancient?"

"Ancient enough that even we don’t have the answer to that question." his grandfather scrambles, "Anyway, we've got to finish our meals and it's off to the fitting we go."

•

Hyunjin was on his bed, staring at the trunk sitting on the opposite end of his bed. He had Kkami on his side, stroking his fur continuously.

"Should I take a look at the box?" Hyunjin looks at Kkami. The dog tilts his head, obviously not understanding Hyunjin's question. "I mean it's a gift. I'm obligated to open it."

Kkami didn't care for any of what Hyunjin was saying so he decided to hop off the bed, leaving Hyunjin distraught.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Kkami didn't respond and walked to his dog bed located near Hyunjin's balcony. Hyunjin sighed, "I'm doing it anyway."

Hyunjin properly sat up and pulled the leather box towards him, fishing for the key hidden somewhere in his pant's pockets. He eventually found it, holding onto the lock as he let out a deep sigh.

"Sorry father, but you've raised a curious son." he whispered while unlocking the box. The lock clicked and Hyunjin lifted the box open.

Again, he was faced with the familiar golden colored items and a glowing light red crystal ball, Hyunjin's eyes widened at the glow it gave. He got up from his bed, locking his door just to be safe.

He returned to his bed, but now standing beside it, tinkering around with the materials. He noticed that two of the pieces are identical, only one of them was an obvious end. They both had gold sculpted tree branches wrapped around them, stopping at the tip of the other end. It also had a mermaid-like creature attached in its center.

Hyunjin then saw a screw-like end, meaning the last piece belonged there. He took the awfully detailed cup looking piece. It had a flower as its base, midway at the sides rests a pair of feathered wings, and at the back was a dragon protecting the feathered wings with its own wings.

He found the concept to be rather odd because the piece was like four different themes merged into one. Hyunjin picks the orb up, weighing heavier than he thought it would be, and wondered how in the world it was gonna stay secure in the staff. He places it on the cavity anyway, finding it adorable how the dragon's head rested on top of the orb.

Hyunjin tried to turn the ball around to check its security, but the orb was completely stuck, with no form of proper security. He was completely lost so he tried taking it off the cavity but like said, the orb was completely glued onto the piece.

Hyunjin picks the staff up, it was almost as tall as his lower half but not quiet. Holding the scepter in one hand felt like holding onto two medium weights from gym class.

He doesn't exactly understand what the purpose of the scepter was but he thought it looked nice, especially the gradient look of the orb when the sun hits its soft red surface.

From what he knows, from reading fantasy books, you were supposed to wave scepters around and something would happen, Hyunjin did just that but nothing did happen. He tried it again, doing a different motion, it also didn't work. He tried it a third time and once again he failed to make something happen.

"I probably looked really awkward doing all those weird moves didn't I, Kkami?" Hyunjin looks over to his dog who was peacefully looking outside his balcony doors, depicting that the dog did not care about his tactics.

He gave up, gently laying the staff on his bed. He took the pieces apart, finding out that you were supposed to disassemble the staff first so the orb could come loose, placing them back inside the trunk.

He locks it, hiding the key in his pocket again, carrying the trunk to his closet. Hyunjin locked his closet doors as soon as he got in so he could enter his secret hideout, which was hidden behind the coat storage.

He pulls the heavy mahogany piece to the side, pushing the trunk inside the decently sized crawl space. "You should be safe there." he mumbled as he placed the wooden storage back to its original spot.

Before leaving his closet, Hyunjin strides over to one of his drawers, pulling out a chest where all his jewelry was kept. He takes out a plain thin silver chain, threading the small key on it, creating a necklace so that he wouldn't lose it. He hides the key under his shirt, so that his father wouldn't ask about it if he ever sees it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said I'll update this the following day I republished this story but here we are, 2 months later barely heading to nowhere.
> 
> Anyway, sorry if the story's boring so far and I apologize if Hyunjin seems to be the only character here but the cast will expand soon.
> 
> 09.05.20: This is the most boring chapter in the entire series.


	5. III. Bird of Flames and Ashes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyunjin and his family attends an important ceremony.

THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN BETA READ

**Chapter 3: Bird of Flames and Ashes**

"Hyunjin, I know you dislike going to these types of events but please, do try and keep yourself well composed." his father breathes out as he gazes at his son who was staring deeply out the car window.

"Don't worry father, all of my friends are going to be there so I doubt I'll give you any trouble." Hyunjin gives an assuring smile.

His father heaves out a sigh, "That's what I'm worried about."

"Oh, he'll be fine." Hyunjin's grandmother butts in as she checks her face with a small compact mirror. "What's the worst he could do?"

"Anything you could think of as long as it involves him and his friends in a place full of people."

"Actually, we're done with all the childish things. We're all pretty serious nowadays, especially Daehwi and Jinyoung."

"What about you?" his father questions.

Hyunjin shrugs, "I've no idea."

"Still pretty adventurous from what I've seen." his grandfather mentions.

"Yeah, well once we reach the museum I don't want any venturing. What I do expect is that-"

"I communicate with new peers in hopes of negotiating with them in the future. I'm well aware of your words father, trust me."

"Nice to know." his father straightens his back as Hyunjin slouches.

He dreaded being on long car drives with his father present. It's either he gets lectured about things he’s not interested in, or it's just dead silence comforting them. It's not that Hyunjin has a bad relationship with his father, they're just distant.

Hyunjin spent most of his childhood alone. With his father almost away for work every day, he wishes nothing more than to meet his mother, but that topic's out the window since his mother is long gone.

As days go by, Hyunjin found himself getting more used to the whole isolation thing. He realized that his father still tried to find ways to squeeze in some time with him, despite his packed and busy schedule. Hyunjin was more than grateful for it.

The family soon then arrived at the Museum of Natural Sciences. The venue was, to say, over the top. The museum is known for its modern, geometric and sleek look, but tonight it became lavish.

"How in the world did they even manage to hang a chandelier on a glass rooftop?" Hyunjin looks up to see what his grandfather was talking about.

"It's the sixth millennium and you're still surprised over something that can be done easily?" Hyunjin heard his grandmother snicker.

"The wonders of craftsmanship. Isn't it fascinating?" a middle aged man with a fair amount of gray hair approached the family.

"Dr. Bae, it is our pleasure to be here." Hyunjin's father greets as they all bowed down.

"Thank you for inviting us." Hyunjin adds, bowing yet again.

Dr. Bae laughs, "We're delighted to have you and your family here. Your friends are somewhere amongst the crowd, good luck finding them."

"I can't take off until my father allows me." Hyunjin shrugs as Dr. Bae turns to Hyunjin's father.

"Go ahead." his father permitted, "Remember to find our table before the showcase."

"Or you'll find me yourself and drag me to our table, will do." Hyunjin jokes as his father shook his head. He bowed for the last time before walking away.

As he was about to head down to the crowd, Hyunjin felt a slap on the back, hissing at the touch. "Beomgyu-"

"Hello, _Im_."

"You didn't have to do that, you know?" Hyunjin reached for his back, trying to sooth it.

"It probably didn't even hurt, you big baby." his friend protests, "Anyway, Daehwi texted me and said he was already here. He tried looking for us earlier but we both just got here."

"Why didn't he look for Jinyoung?"

"The guy is apparently being dragged around to meet people alongside his mom. You know, famous people things?"

"So, do you know where Daehwi is?"

"Nope, he said he was sitting at some table, guessing the one they were assigned to."

"And that is where you're wrong." the two heard a voice coming from behind. They turned around to see Daehwi, who placed an arm around both of his friends' shoulders.

"Thought you were at your table?"

"Yeah, but mom and her colleagues started conversing, leaving me behind. So I started looking for the two of you."

"So, where to now?" Hyunjin asked.

"They said the actual event isn't going to officially start for another hour, so why don't we just roam around the place?" Daehwi suggested.

"Fine, but if we encounter any of our parents's friends, I _will_ stray away from the two of you." Beomgyu threatened.

"Look at the three of you." a girl approaches the three, "Are you guys lost? You do know the tables are in that direction, right?"

"Believe me, we know. We're just-"

"Let me guess, trying to get away from the adults?" the girl finishes Hyunjin's sentence.

"Why, wanna come with us?" Beomgyu asked, sarcastically.

"I wish." the girl scoffs, "My sister's probably going to scold me for not staying with her, because mom wanted us to look after our youngest sister while she and dad talk to people."

"Then what are you doing here?" Beomgyu asked.

"Was going to go to the bathroom but I found the three of you." she shrugs, "Where's the other one?"

"You mean the son of the hostess?"

"Yeah, that one." the girl confirms.

"With his parents meeting socialites." Daehwi answers.

"I have a feeling you're not actually going to the bathroom..." Hyunjin squints, straying away from their current topic.

"Nice observation, Sherlock. See ya!" the girl waves as she walks the other way.

"You think Chaeyeon knows?" Daehwi turns to Hyunjin.

"No doubt." Hyunjin nods, "Anyway, let's ask for a brochure of this place. They said another fossil was found in the rubbles on Earth."

"You're interested in that stuff?" Beomgyu asked in a confused, yet, surprised way.

"We've been friends with Hyunjin for almost five years and you still don't know this man's interests."

"Why would I pay attention to things that'll bore me?" Beomgyu adds in.

Daehwi sighed, eyes evidently rolling, "Forget I even said anything."

•

After half an hour of roaming around the museum, learning about some old stories behind several different prehistoric animals, the three decided they were bored. Not realized, decided.

"I wonder when they'll start feeding us. I haven't eaten anything since lunch." Beomgyu brings up.

"Around this time, according to my mother. Maybe we should head back." Daehwi suggested as the two agreed.

They marched back to the museum's great hall, where important fossils were kept and where the gala's currently being held.

"Don't you guys find it weird how they’re making such a big deal out of this... discovery?" Hyunjin asked, earning a hum from the two.

"Not really." Daehwi shrugged, Beomgyu nodding in agreement.

"I mean, think about it. Whenever there's a discovery for cures and stuff, no one creates big events for it like this one. Yeah, they televise and present it, but they never hold big parties for any of them."

"They do, only this time, we're invited to one." Daehwi corrects. "Besides, I don't think they'd want to celebrate with minors."

"Then how come we're here?"

"Hyunjin, there's only so much questions I can take." Daehwi began to rub his temples.

"Maybe it's not a medical related discovery, hence why they're hosting this party in a natural museum." Beomgyu said.

"I think we all know it doesn't relate to anything that surrounds the medical field." Hyunjin states. "I'm just wondering why it's such a big deal."

"We'll know when we'll-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but do any of you go by the name of Hyunjin?" a man in a formal suit asked as he approached them.

Hyunjin looks at his friends, suspiciously. The two did nothing but shrug, just as confused as Hyunjin was.

Hyunjin looks at the man in front of them, "That'd be me. Is anything wrong?"

"Your father had asked me to look for you."

"Oh, so you're escorting me to our table?"

"Pretty much so."

"Jesus, Hyunjin. How many connections does your father have?" Beomgyu faintly asked.

"If I knew, I would've already given you the answer." Hyunjin sighs as the man tilts his head, motioning for Hyunjin to follow him.

"Remember, if he's beginning to act a bit sketchy, yell "stranger danger"!" Beomgyu hollered, letting out a small yelp not long later after earning a nudge from Daehwi.

Hyunjin got to the table safe but was greeted with his father's darting eyes. The man fled after his father had thanked him and just as Hyunjin was about to take a seat, his father had already begun to speak.

"Where have you been?"

"Exploring the place with Daewhi and Beom. Has it started?" he took a seat, one that was facing directly in front of his father.

"Why do you think people are already seated? You were supposed to be down on that chair several minutes ago!" his father quietly hissed.

"We lost track of time, I'm sorry."

"This is the reason why I don't let you wander off in places like this."

"Now, now, let's not start a commotion." his grandfather intervened, "The important thing is that he's here now."

"Your father's right." his grandmother agreed, "Hyunjin's safe, there's nothing to worry about."

His grandmother was then cut off by the clapping hands of the people around them. Hyunjin faced front to see Jinyoung's mother standing behind the podium with a glistening smile, thanking everyone while waiting for the clapping to come to a halt before she could start.

"I would like to start this off by saying that it has been our greatest privilege to have you all here at this very moment." she began.

Hyunjin could just tell by the incoming speech, he was bound to get lost in his head.

"I would like to thank my father for making this night possible, for allowing so many of you to witness this thrilling moment in the history of Novrra." Mrs. Bae looks at her father with glee. Dr. Bae dips his head as the clapping begins to increase.

"As many of you may have already known, my husband and I were out in Auster just a few weeks ago. It's a shame he couldn't be here with us tonight but he's getting his well needed rest."

Hyunjin could feel himself yawning and upon opening his eyes, he saw Beomgyu waving at him several tables down. He doesn't even want to know how long he waited for Hyunjin to notice him.

"During our sabbatical, we came across something peculiar. Something mythical. It was almost as if it jumped off a storybook." she said with a voice full of amazement. "So, with that said; one and all, we gladly present to you,”

The lights dimmed down as the giant curtains behind Mrs. Bae draped down. Hidden amongst the curtain was a single bird in a cage.

“The Phoenix.”

The bird was still and tamed. It shone as bright as a flashlight held up directly in your face, only it was a bird lighting up a hall with its blazing body.

The cheering began to grow once again, but Hyunjin could only focus on what was out in front, even minutes after the unveiling has been done.

Mrs. Bae had confirmed that the bird will be brought back to its natural habitat and that they will not conduct any researches on the bird in a lab. Instead, they'll spend a bit more time in Auster to truly understand and study the creature without causing harm to it.

In the midst of finishing his dinner, Hyunjin found himself to be surrounded by many of his grandparents' friends, telling him to give their grandchildren a chance but he kept declining.

Hyunjin found the gesture endearing, he was used to hearing adults say that he would be a good match for their children, it was a normal act to him.

Once his father began to talk to other people, Hyunjin found it as an opportunity to escape their table to go meet up with his friends.

Upon doing so, he found Jinyoung still following his mother around like a lost pup. A bored one, so he decided not to bother.

He went to look for Beomgyu who was just a couple of tables down but when he arrived to the said table, he was gone.

Before returning back to their table, Hyunjin felt gentle taps on his shoulder. His head turns, being greeted by Daehwi's mother.

"Hyunjin," she started.

"Hello, Dr. Lee." Hyunjin bowed down, "Did you need something?"

"I was just wondering if you've seen Daehwi, he took off and I figured he'd be with you."

"Oh, I haven't. Sorry."

"It's alright." Dr. Lee smiled but Hyunjin thought something about it felt off. Through her convincing facade, Hyunjin still noticed that she seemed a bit worried. "If you do see him, please tell him to meet me at our table because we'll be heading home."

"Sure thing." Hyunjin says.

"Thank you." Dr. Lee tipped her head before she walked off.

Seeing how crowded the hall was, Hyunjin decided to get away from the place. While being escorted to his seat earlier, Hyunjin noticed that the refreshment stations were located near glass doors. He made his way outside and found a somewhat secluded area.

There were a couple of people chatting with drinks on hand, some were even smoking and in the midst of it all, he saw Daehwi sitting by the fountain, alone.

Hyunjin walked to him, standing just in front of his friend. "You okay?" he asked.

Daehwi looked up and smiled flatly, "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You were spacing out and you're not inside. I thought something was bothering you." Hyunjin sat down next to him.

"You're not inside as well but nothing's bothering you, now is there?"

"Please, if you only knew." Hyunjin snickers, "Your mom is looking for you."

"Did she tell you why?" Daehwi asked.

"She said you two are going home." Hyunjin answers.

"Oh." Daehwi then began to mumble something that Hyunjin couldn't hear.

"You said something?" he asked.

"Oh, I-" Daehwi snapped away from his thoughts. He then faces Hyunjin, noticing something glistening under the moonlight. "I was just wondering when'd you get a new necklace."

"Necklace?" Hyunjin asked, obviously lost. Daehwi nodded, pointing at the charm resting by Hyunjin's shirt collar.

Hyunjin looked at where Daehwi was pointing at and immediately hid the necklace inside his shirt. He then looks back at Daehwi, whose face had confusion written all over it.

"It's a gift from my grandparents. They don't want my father to know about it- and don't ask why. I don't even know the answer myself."

Daehwi gaped while nodding, "It's a beautiful necklace." he comments, making Hyunjin smile. "Anyway, I'll be heading back in. See you on Monday."

"Yeah, get home safe!" Hyunjin bids as they wave goodbye to one another.

GLOSSARY

**Auster** : The Southern continent of Novrra.  
• Origin: Australis - The Latin word for southern

APPEARANCES

Im Jaebum | JB (Got7): Hyunjin's father

Bae Joohyun | Irene (Red Velvet): Jinyoung's mother

Lee Sunmi: Dr. Lee, Daehwi’s mother

Bae Jinyoung (CIX)

Lee Daehwi (AB6IX)

Choi Beomgyu (TXT)

Lee Chaeryeong (ITZY)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two things:
> 
> 1\. Any character who isn't based off idols will not be written down, because I've got no idea on who they'd be based off  
> 2\. I have no idea with what the future is going to be like so pretend they've still got phones.


	6. IV: As President of the Student Council

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyunjin meets some new people, thanks to Daehwi.

THIS CHAPTER IS NOT BETA READ

**Chapter 4: As President of the Student Council**

Hyunjin pulls up in the student parking, arriving earlier than most students. It's always been like that and forever will be, no thanks to traffic and the long distance between his home and the school.

As usual, Hyunjin goes to a nearby restroom to check his appearance. Nothing drastic, just to fix his hair and uniform, a few tweaks here and there. He frequently minds his eyes the most. With the amount of sleep he's been getting, he can't help but not wanting to look like a raccoon out in the open.

While making his way to his locker, he saw Daehwi. He was about to approach him until his friend went inside the school's main office.

He was confused, but he knew he shouldn't get in the way. Not wanting to bother his friend, Hyunjin decided to stop by his locker to lessen the weight on his bag.

In doing so, he hears something crash onto the locker next to his. He moved his locker's door out of the way and was greeted by his sighing friend.

"Good morning to you too, Jinyoung." Hyunjin greets, opening his locker wide open once again.

"Be honest," Jinyoung started, "Do I look bad?"

Hyunjin leans a bit to take a glimpse of his friend's face, "No. Why do you ask?"

"I barely got any sleep last night. My mom brought me to a conference along with her and my grandfather, we didn't get home until ten in the evening."

"You sure are a busy lad." Hyunjin sneered, "Why'd they bring you with them anyway?"

"I'm supposed to fill in my father's spot, since he's ill and all. Worst part is that I didn't even know what to do. My grandfather did most of the talking for me. It's like they expect me to know about everything they know." Jinyoung ranted.

"Hey, on the bright side-"

"There is no bright side."

"You'll know what to do in conferences once you officially start your career." Hyunjin continued, trying to make a point.

"That's just it! That’s not what I want my future to look like. As much as I don't want to disappoint my parents, I'll never be like them. Even if I were to be like them, what the hell type of a scientist would I be? I’m no Einstein.”

"Are you kidding?" Hyunjin laughed, "You’ve gotten the highest mark for every science related class you've ever taken. Science runs through your blood."

"There's a difference between wanting to do what you’re good at and _not_ wanting to do what you're good at. I don't want to do anything I won't like doing in the future." Jinyoung made his words clear.

"But if all fails, will you turn to that route?" Hyunjin asked.

"Why do you always have to look at the bad side of things?" Jinyoung strays away from the question.

"Because you said there was no bright side." Hyunjin shrugged, Jinyoung could only heave.

"Does anyone know why I just saw Daehwi walking towards the cafeteria with people who aren't us?" Beomgyu asked, coming from the other side of the corridor.

"Oh, he's touring new students." Jinyoung answers.

"He never told us about that." Hyunjin butts in.

"You guys said you find student council things boring, that's why he stopped talking about them." Jinyoung mentions.

"Besides the point, new students? In March?" Beomgyu broke his words down.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Jinyoung asked.

"No. I just find it weird that people enter school when it's nearing its end." Beomgyu shrugs.

Hyunjin closed his locker, swinging his bag on his shoulder. "I'm going to go get something to eat before classes start. If you guys want, you can come along."

"I'm hungry too, can you pay for us?" Beomgyu asked as he and Jinyoung followed behind.

"Absolutely not." Hyunjin stated, "Last time I lent you money, you never paid me back."

"Hey, if I remember correctly, you told me I didn't need to pay for it anymore."

"Yeah, that's because it's already been a month since you borrowed it from me."

"That's on _you_." Beomgyu argued as Hyunjin sighed in defeat.

•

The bell rang, indicating that the third period was over, meaning that students can finally breathe, relax and fill up their empty stomachs.

Hyunjin stretches his arms out while standing in front of the classroom's door frame, yawning at the process.

"Mind moving? You’re in the way." Hyunjin heard someone say from behind.

He moves aside, giving his classmate an apologetic smile. "Sorry." he said.

After the awkward moment he had just encountered, Hyunjin decided he'd like to stop by his locker before going to the library. The place where he usually spends his time during lunch.

Don't get him wrong, it's not that he doesn't like eating- hell, it's the first thing he does when he gets home- it's just that he'd rather spend his time doing something he isn’t exactly able to do at home.

Of course he still eats lunch from time to time, there are days where his friends demand and force him to get his butt out of the library and eat with them, no questions to be asked.

Coincidentally, Hyunjin heard his name being called from afar. He looked up ahead and saw no one. He turned around and saw Daehwi approaching him, with three other people tagging along behind him.

"You're going to the library?" Daehwi asked, standing right in front of him.

"Well, yeah. That's what I've been-"

"Forget it, you're having lunch with us." Daehwi cuts off Hyunjin's sentence.

" _Us_?" Hyunjin asked.

"Yeah. _Us_. As in you, me, Beom, Jinyoung and my friends." Daehwi moves away from Hyunjin's field of vision, allowing him to catch a glimpse of the trio behind him.

The three waved and smiled, Hyunjin did the same thing. It was awkward, needless to say. After realizing he's been watching them struggle at interacting, Daehwi decides to intervene.

"Anyway, these three here are Jeongin, Seungmin and Felix." Daehwi introduced. The three once again said their greetings.

To his right stood a boy with pure black hair, the same as his, and deep piercing eyes. The one in the middle had strawberry blonde hair and specks dusted all over his cheeks. The one to the right of the freckled face had brown hair, height almost the same if Hyunjin weren't a couple of inches taller.

"Guys, this is Hyunjin." Daehwi introduced.

"Nice to meet you all." Hyunjin formally bows and so did the three.

"Now that introduction's out of the way, let's go find the other two."

"Do I have to go? I'm kind of in the middle of finishing this book. I promise I'll have lunch with all of you tomorrow."

"Hyunjin, you can finish any old book in less than a week. Sacrificing forty-five minutes isn't going to hurt you. Besides, it's a mandatory lunch."

"What do you mean _mandatory_?" Hyunjin asked.

Daehwi groaned, slouching before he could answer Hyunjin's question. "In case you forgot, I’m a guide. Student guides must invite newcomers to lunch, it’s a rule. And as president of the student council, I have to obey that rule."

"And as someone who's _not_ in the student council, those rules most certainly do not affect me."

"And as your _friend_ , you _must_ be supportive of my decisions." Daehwi fights back.

"Daehwi-"

"Come on, Hyunjin! There's no harm in making new friends, now is there?"

Hyunjin looks at Daehwi's desperate eyes, panning over to the three newcomers. Hyunjin could only imagine their discomfort so he sighs in defeat.

"Fine. Only doing this because you made me feel guilty and your new friends are probably uncomfortable." he clarifies.

"Great! Let's head on to the cafeteria before all the good stuff gets taken." Daehwi leads the way with the rest following behind him.

Hyunjin watches the three in front of him. They seem to be awfully silent, which is expected seeing as they're new. In an attempt to get rid of the awkward tension between them, Hyunjin tried to strike up a conversation.

"So... where'd you guys come from?"

"No personal questions until we're all together." says Daehwi.

"How come?"

"So they wouldn't have to answer the same question all over again. Come up with something else to talk about."

"What am I going to talk to them about? They barely know me."

"Talk to them about your books and stuff. Seungmin there likes to read."

Hyunjin looks at the three, not knowing who Seungmin was. "You didn't specify who was who earlier..."

"I did that on purpose so you'd talk to them." Daehwi defends.

"That, or you just forgot to mention it." the one with the freckles laughed. "I'm Felix by the way. Daehwi has always been forgetful."

"I've noticed." Hyunjin snickers before realizing what Felix had just said. "Wait, you guys already knew each other before you came here?"

Felix nodded as Hyunjin stood right next to the one with brown hair, to communicate with Felix better.

"He's a family friend." the one with the sharp eyes added.

"Wait, so the three of you are related?"

"No, we're just friends. The name's Jeongin and the one next to you is Seungmin."

Seungmin kept quiet, eyes averted to the scattering students ahead of them. Felix noticed that Hyunjin was having a bit of trouble with Seungmin, so he decided to lend a hand.

"Say, Hyunjin, what type of books are you into?" Felix, unexpectedly, asked.

"Oh- um- I'm really into fantasy." Hyunjin beams, "Funny thing is that I'm not actually allowed to read anything fantasy related- or anything fiction really."

"How come?" Jeongin asked.

"My father says that they do nothing good for you. What's the point of knowing about anything that doesn't exist, is what he says."

"That's upsetting." Hyunjin turned his attention to Seungmin, who suddenly had the courage to speak up.

"You think so? Not that I don't agree."

Seungmin nods, "I can't imagine living a life like yours. Not being able to let your imagination run free and all. Having a bit of creative freedom adds more excitement to life, don't you think?"

"Yeah, just as long as you're prepared to be disappointed by the fact that such things don't exist." Hyunjin agreed, laughing a little.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." Jeongin interrupts.

"Why's that?" Hyunjin turns his attention to Jeongin, who was in the far left.

"There's so much to learn about this world. So much to explore. Something unexpected could turn up in a blink of an eye." Jeongin explained.

"You have a point." Hyunjin mumbled. "I mean, Jinyoung's parents did recently just discover a living Phoenix bird."

"Yeah, like I said." Jeongin flatly smiles.

"Glad you've found the time to get acquainted, but I'd like to inform everyone that we've made it to the cafeteria." Daehwi opens the door for all of them, letting the rest enter first.

Hyunjin was about to go in line until he noticed the trio standing still. "What are you guys doing just standing there?"

"They were just waiting for me." Daehwi informs them as they all walk to Hyunjin, "They probably don't trust you yet."

"It's not that we don't trust you," Felix corrected, "we're just being cautious."

"Well, if you'd like to know, I happen to be a dependable and likable guy." Hyunjin stood firmly, arms folded across his chest.

"Please, with the commotion you exhibited in the halls earlier?" Daehwi sneered, "I'm not exactly sure if I'd count that as a good first impression."

"It's a great first impression actually." Jeongin says, "I like meeting cranky people."

"I don't think he was cranky." Seungmin butts in, "From what I've seen, it looks like he just didn't want to be bothered."

"Thank you!" Hyunjin wailed, "Someone finally gets me."

Seungmin gives him a small smile along with a slight nod, "It's better to be left alone sometimes."

"In Hyunjin's case, all the time." Daehwi jokes.

After paying for their lunch, the group walked out of the cafeteria to meet up with Jinyoung and Beomgyu in one of the outdoor tables.

"Hey! You guys must be the new students. I'm Beomgyu." he greets as the rest claim their spot on the table.

The one in the middle finished chewing before he could introduce himself, "Bae Jinyoung."

"I'm Felix. The one to my right is Seungmin and this one is Jeongin. It's a pleasure to finally meet Daehwi's best friends." Felix bowed before taking a seat.

"Pleasure is ours." Jinyoung smiles.

"Believe it or not, they've been friends with Daehwi for a long time." Hyunjin brings up as he sat down next to Jinyoung.

"Oh?" the two switched their attention to Daehwi, who was peacefully eating.

Daehwi looks at them, darting a glare at both Jinyoung and Beomgyu. They then turned to Hyunjin who also did the same thing.

Hyunjin raised a brow, "If you want to know how they met, why don't you ask them yourselves? They're right in front of us."

The duo and the trio sat completely still while looking at each other. No one decided to speak, not knowing whether they should wait for the other to start the conversation.

"So..." Jeongin starts, "You two wanted to know how the three of us met your best friend?"

"Yes."

"Yup."

"It's nothing interesting, if that's what you're thinking. He's just a family friend." Felix answers.

"Are the three of you related? Fraternal triplets, perhaps?" Jinyoung politely asked.

"No." Felix let out a gentle laugh, "Our families are acquainted with one another. We made our friendship official when we met one another at our old school."

"So, when does Daehwi come into play?" Beomgyu asked, head slightly tilting.

"I just talk to them whenever one of their families, or a friend of our families, holds a get together of some sort." Daehwi answered.

"And the four of you managed to create a strong bond with each other, though you didn't get to see one another that often?" Jinyoung asked for a confirmation.

"That would be correct." Jeongin nodded. "Those events are usually boring, so we always wander off."

"So do we!" Beomgyu beams, "Anyway, where'd you guys come from?"

"Well, it's complicated really-" Jeongin starts.

"Septentrio, they’re from Septentrio." Daehwi interfered.

"Which country?" Beomgyu added.

"Opule. I swear, I've told you I used to live there, that's how I know them." Daehwi shot another glare towards Beomgyu’s direction.

"Hey, as far as I'm concerned, I don't remember things well." Beomgyu defended on his behalf.

"Opule? I take it that you three come from very wealthy families." Jinyoung said. "I mean, Daehwi did used to live there and his mother's a doctor."

"I wouldn't really say wealthy-" Felix uttered but was interrupted.

"You're being modest, you guys are practically royalty!" Jeongin exclaimed.

"Speaking of royalty, Hyunjin's family is also like royalty here in Ribun." Beomgyu brought up.

"Is that so?" Jeongin asked.

Beomgyu nodded, "His family helped establish this country over a hundred years ago, when we were first settling in. I think it was his great grandfather, if I'm not mistaken."

"Great-great grandfather." Hyunjin corrected.

"There's a tiny island in Credo Bay, only members of the Im family are able to go there." Beomgyu continued.

"The _Im_ family?" Felix asked.

"Hyunjin's family." Jinyoung answered.

"Wow." Felix and Jeongin gaped. "You should tell us more about the island." Felix said.

"I don't really know much about the place," Hyunjin shrugged. "Besides, I haven't even stepped foot on that island."

"You haven't? I thought it was owned by your family?" Felix asked, rather confused.

"It is. My father thinks it's not a good idea for me to even go near the island. That's where my grandparents currently dwell at, my father grew up there."

"Well, why in the world wouldn't he want you to visit his childhood home? Let alone, your own private island?" Jeongin asked, almost as if he were irritated.

"He said something about the island being too dangerous for me, that's why he decided to move here, so he could raise me in peace."

"How can an inhabited island be dangerous?" Felix questioned.

"According to one of the rumors, the island is where the government secretly plans their schemes and stuff. Do whatever it is that they do." Beomgyu said.

"One of the rumors?" Seungmin asked in a low tone.

"One of the many." Beomgyu responded, "But can you blame people? The island is well known and the public is prohibited from entering, who knows what secrets lie behind those walls.”

"Please, it's just my family's first home." Hyunjin clicked his tongue, "You're acting like as if the government uses the island to hide things from us."

"Who knows? I mean, you haven't even been there, you said it yourself." Beomgyu argued.

"Even if that's the case, you still need to stop believing everything you hear." Hyunjin sighed as he continued to finish his food.

GLOSSARY 

**Septentrio** : The Northern continent of Novrra  
• Origin: Derived from the Latin word “Septentriones”, meaning the North

 **Opule** : A country in Septentrio  
• Origin: The shortened version of the word “Opulent”, meaning the rich.

 **Ribun** : A sacred country located in Novrra  
• Origin: Named after Ribung-Linti, the Visayan God of thunderstorms 

**Credo Bay** : A body of water on the coast of Ribun  
• Origin: The Latin word for believe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally finished the world building for this story and I managed to connect new ideas with the current storyline without messing it up completely.
> 
> -
> 
> One Golden Afternoon will be on hold for the meantime, I have a busy schedule since school started.


	7. V: Classmates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I honestly have no idea how to sum this up.

**Chapter 5: Classmates**

“HYUNJIN!” the said boy heard, turning around to be greeted by his hot headed classmate. “Where were you yesterday? Our project is due tomorrow!”

“I forgot we were meeting up.” Hyunjin quietly hissed, “I’m sorry, I have my grandparents over, and you know how family are-”

“Chanhee wasn’t able to meet up either, but at least he told me beforehand. You could’ve sent me a text or something. I wasted, like, twenty minutes waiting for you to show up-”

“Mina, I’m sorry, okay? I told you, I completely forgot. If I had remembered, I would’ve texted you but I didn’t.” Hyunjin tried to reason but Mina just huffed while crossing her arms. Hyunjin sighed while slouching, “Look, to make it up to you, Chanhee and I will finish the rest of the project. Does that seem fair?”

Mina contemplated for a while, it was a tempting bargain, and she knows it could be risky, but in the end she gave in. “Alright. The two of you will finish the project _and_ you’ll have to do most of the talking during the presentation.”

“For what?! What’d I do?”

“It’s an extra punishment for wasting my time yesterday. You owe me.” Mina walked past Hyunjin, entering the classroom in front of them.

“That seems unfair.”

“To you. You’re a people person, everyone loves you already… probably.” Mina took a seat in one of the front desks, neatly placing her books on one corner. “Besides, it’ll only take us about five minutes to do the whole thing. I had to wait an extra fifteen for you.”

Hyunjin sat on top of the desk next to Mina’s, swiftly swinging his legs back and forth. “I guess you have a point. For how long will you be talking?”

“A sentence or two should be enough.”

“Mina-” Hyunjin cried.

“What?”

“Off the desk, young Im.” a strong and stern voice was heard, coming from the classroom entrance.

“Mr. Kim,” Hyunjin hopped off the desk, an awkward laugh escaped from his lips. “You’re back.”

“It would appear so.” their teacher warmly smiled, “And I see you’re on time today.”

“You can thank me for that.” Mina brought up, followed by the ringing bell as all students positioned themselves onto a seat.

“Alright, class has begun. I hope we’re still not on the same chapter that we’ve left off before I went away. I do hope you all did as you were told. Now, take out your books.” Mr. Kim announced.

“Um, Mr. Kim?”

“Yes?” Mr. Kim turned around to face the class, face relaxing as he noticed a raised hand. “Seems like we’ve got a new face here. What’s your name, young one?”

“Park Seungmin, sir.” the boy dipped his head in respect.

Hyunjin turned around after hearing his name, noticing that the familiar boy was sitting three desks away from him, diagonally.

“Welcome to Advanced Literature, Seungmin. I’m guessing you’re in need of a copy of Hamlet?”

“Yes, sir.” Seungmin confirmed with a nod.

“Well then, I can give you a pass to go to the supply room so you can grab a copy. That is- if you know your way around here.”

“I don’t.” Seungmin answered rather quietly.

“I’ll go with him!” Hyunjin volunteered rather loudly, all eyes averting towards him.

“You two know each other?” Mina leaned in, whispering onto Hyunjin’s ear.

“He’s a friend of Daehwi.” he answered.

“I don’t see why not.” Mr. Kim roughly cleared his throat, “Are you sure you’re not just using this as an opportunity to skip class?”

“I’m not, sir-”

“I’m kidding.” he laughed, “Seeing as you’re one of the few people I know who’s very fond of literature, I can’t think of anyone better. Well, you two better get a move on. Class isn’t about to wait for the two of you."

Hyunjin smiled, rising up from his seat and so did Seungmin. Mr. Kim hands the pass over to Hyunjin, who let Seungmin exit first.

“So…” Hyunjin started as they began to walk down the hall, “I didn’t know we were in the same class.”

“I sat at the back yesterday, plus, we didn’t officially meet until lunch.” Seungmin shrugged.

“Right…” they fell into deep silence with Hyunjin trying his best to keep a conversation going. “Oh, right. Do you have your ID with you?”

“I don’t have one yet, we took pictures on Friday and they aren’t arriving until next month.” Seungmin answered.

“Ah.” Hyunjin nodded, eyes repeatedly wandering around the walls then down to the floor, trying to make a slight noise by dancing with his feet to get rid of the awkward tension.

“I’m sorry.” Seungmin heavily lets out. Hyunjin turns his attention to Seungmin with a confused expression.

“What are you apologizing for?”

“For being terrible at interacting.” Seungmin clears up, stopping his tracks to heave out a handful of air whilst rubbing his left arm. “I’m just not used to being around people, ones whom I don’t know. Strangers.”

Hyunjin quietly laughs, “You don’t have to be sorry for that. I understand, completely. I would just like to go on the record and let you know that I won’t do you any harm, and that I am very much trustworthy.”

Seungmin was the one to laugh this time, “Even so, you’re still pretty much a stranger to me.”

“Any friend of Daehwi is a friend of mine.” Hyunjin proudly declared as they continued walking.

“Being friends with your friend’s friend doesn’t automatically mean you’re their friend. You have to earn their trust, make sure you’re comfortable around them and vice versa.”

“You make it sound like making friends is a job.” Hyunjin joked.

“No, but it’s a commitment.” Seungmin responded.

“Now you’re making it sound like you’re getting married.”

“I do?” Seungmin now meets eyes with Hyunjin, who then began to waltz with the air as he hummed to the tune of the Wedding March.

“You’re… something.” Seungmin sighed, head hanging low as he started to walk away.

“I’ll take that as a complim- Hey!” Hyunjin hurried to catch up to Seungmin, “I was ordered to be by your side at all times. Which means _you_ have to stick right next to _me_.”

“No, you were _ordered_ to bring me to the supply room… whatever that is.” Seungmin corrected.

“You mean _wherever_?” 

“No. _Whatever_.” Seungmin repeated.

“You mean, you don’t know what a supply room is?” Hyunjin asked as Seungmin shook his head. “Oh, it’s where the school keeps all the books and such.”

“So, a library?”

“No, they’re different. How have you never heard of a supply room before?”

“Because we don’t have such things in my old school.” Seungmin answered while holding his palms out, “We get all the books from the library, or we simply just buy them.”

“Oh, well, yeah. That’s that.” Hyunjin concluded, “Anyway, how are you going to be able to check out the book if you don’t have an ID yet?”

“How should I know? I don’t know how this school works. I’ll just tell them Mr. Kim asked me to pick one up.”

“Alright…”

The two soon arrived at the supply room. Hyunjin entered the room first with Seungmin following behind.

“Hello, how can I help the two of you?” the nice middle-aged lady behind the counter asked cheerfully, turning her eyes away from the computer.

“Good morning.” Hyunjin greeted, “We're from Mr. Kim’s class, Advanced Literature. He sent us here because there’s a new student who is in need of a copy of Hamlet.” he hands the pass over to the lady, who immediately signed it.

“Shouldn’t the student be here themself instead of the two of you?” the lady walked to the open door behind her and returned with a copy of the book in hand.

“He is actually.” Hyunjin turned to Seungmin, signalling for the other to come near the counter.

“Do you have your ID with you today?” the lady asked.

“No ma’am.” Seungmin lightly shook his head while looking down at the counter. “I’m new to the school and I’ve yet to get one.”

“I see.” the lady scanned the book, pulling out the slim keyboard hiding on a slide beneath the counter top. “May I have your name please?”

“Kim Seungmin, ma’am.” he said.

“Kim… Seung… min.” the lady mumbled while typing, “Alright, here you go. Please try not to lose it.”

“I won’t.” Seungmin held on to the book tightly, dipping his head before him and Hyunjin went back out.

Hyunjin began to hum as they made their way back to their class. Seungmin, on the other hand, was inspecting the book like it was some ancient artifact.

“Hey, Hyunjin?” Seungmin called.

“Yeah?”

“Is this one of those books that was written in a weird dialect that no one really understands anymore? It says it was written by William Shakespeare…”

“Well, yeah.” Hyunjin shrugged, “I thought everyone knew that?”

“I’m just not that familiar with his works. I’m having a little bit of trouble understanding this current language right now.”

“Oh? Your pronunciation and stuff sounds good to me. Normal even.”

“No, I mean, yeah but reading with these letters tends to mess with me.”

“Oh, I guess Opule doesn’t use the Latin alphabet like we do here.”

“Oh… um, right.” Seungmin hesitated to agree.

“Anyway, if you’d like, I can help you to be better at reading English if you want.” Hyunjin suggested.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary-”

“Daehwi said you also like reading, is he right?”

“Well, yes but-”

“This could work out great then!” Hyunjin beamed, “I’m also a fan of reading. I have many stories I’d like to share with people, but they’re not really as interested in reading as I am.”

Seungmin only stayed silent. It isn’t that he has anything against Hyunjin, he just wasn’t at all interested in learning an almost dead language.

The walk back to class was even more silent. Hyunjin thought it’d be better if the silence stayed anyway, seeing as Seungmin didn’t like to talk too much.

The silence only grew larger once they entered the classroom. Their classmates had already begun to read while Mr. Kim was sorting through papers, typing things down on his laptop here and there. The only noise that could be heard were the taps of the keys on the keyboard and the flipping of pages.

Hyunjin threw the pass on the recycling bin while Seungmin headed straight for his seat. Hyunjin took a quick glance at Seungmin before sitting down himself.

APPEARANCES 

Kang Mina (Gugudan)

Kim Namjoon (BTS): Mr. Kim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I did disappear for almost two months, I decided to post two chapters. Chapter 6 will be up next week.


	8. VI: The Color Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of blood

**Chapter 6: The Color Red  
**   


“The student council is having a meeting during lunch later, I could ask Beomgyu and Jinyoung if you guys can join them for the meantime.” Daehwi says as he and the other three exit his mother’s car.

“What about the other one? Hyunjin, is it?” Jeongin brings up.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll be at the library today. Why do you ask?” Daehwi waves goodbye to his mother before she drives off and so do the other three.

“Nothing.” Jeongin shrugged as they entered the school building.

The four stopped by Daehwi’s locker, where they were then approached by his three other friends.

“Hey, Daehwi!” Beomgyu beamed, “Jeongin, Felix and Seungmin.”

“Morning!” Jeongin greeted. Felix smiles, Seungmin just waved.

“Perfect timing!” Daehwi exclaims upon opening his locker, “I’ll be gone during lunch for a meeting. I was wondering if Felix, Seungmin, and Jeongin could join you guys for lunch.”

“If that’s not a bother to the rest of you.” Felix shyly says.

“Not a bother at all.” Jinyoung shook his head with a slight smile.

“Of course! You guys are always welcome to join us for lunch.” Beomgyu says right after.

“Sorry, I’m going to be at the library today.” Hyunjin announced. “Unless someone wants to tag along, I don’t have any problem with that.”

“Yeah, I think they’d rather have lunch than have their noses stuck in a book.” Beomgyu sneered.

“Well, the offer still stands. If anyone changes their mind, just tell me.” as soon as Daehwi closed his locker door, the bell rang.

“There’s the bell, I’ll be walking the three to their classes.” Daehwi says.

“We’ll see you guys at lunch.” Jinyoung and Beomgyu headed off first, the rest stayed by Daehwi’s locker.

“Seungmin and I have the same class for first period, we could walk together, if you don’t mind.” Hyunjin looks at Seungmin, who nodded in agreement.

“I’ll go with Hyunjin. It seems more efficient that way.”

“Then it’s settled.” Daehwi clapped his hands close, “We’ll meet back here after school, okay?”

The group then separated ways. Hyunjin and Seungmin headed for the stairs in the east wing while Daehwi, Felix, and Jeongin went the opposite direction.

Seungmin let Hyunjin walk in front of him, not being familiar with his own sense of direction around the school, seeing as he’s only been around for three days, he lets the other take the lead.

Before they entered, Hyunjin decided to wait for Seungmin by the door. Seungmin stopped just a few inches away from him, not exactly understanding why Hyunjin decided to block his way.

“I was wondering if you’d like to sit with me today…” Hyunjin started, “Not that you have to, I just thought it’d be a nice opportunity for you and I to finally get to know each other, you know?”

“What about your friend?” Seungmin asked.

“Mina? She has other friends in this class, I’m pretty sure she doesn’t even want to sit with me.” Hyunjin awkwardly laughed.

Seungmin stood in silence with a lost and blank face and Hyunjin noticed it. He got a bit flustered, realizing that Seungmin isn’t the type of person to be easily impressed or bothered.

“Just don’t pick a seat up front.” Hyunjin nodded, letting Seungmin inside the classroom first.

The two decided to sit on the near end of the middle row. Seungmin asked to be seated far from the other students, Hyunjin doesn’t understand why, but he didn’t bother asking the other one either, and just went along with what he’s been told.

“Hyunjin,” Seungmin started, earning a hum from Hyunjin in response. “I’m sorry-”

“You’re apologizing again? Seungmin, you’ve got nothing to be sorry for-”

“But I do.” Seungmin insisted, “You’re trying your best to befriend me, and it’s not that I don’t want to, I truly do wish to be friends with you, but I’m just-” he waited for words to be blurted out from his mouth, but nothing. Nothing at all came out.

Seungmin took a deep breath in, slowly breathing out. The bell rang, indicating that classes are about to start. Hyunjin waited for Seungmin to finish his words but the other just sat in silence.

“Like I said yesterday, you don’t have to be sorry for anything. I understand that it takes time for you to get comfortable with people, and there’s no problem with that.” Hyunjin gave him a warm smile, “There’s nothing wrong with being skeptical. Sometimes, you just gotta trust instincts.”

Seungmin returned the smile, “Thank you for understanding.”

“Of course.”

While Hyunjin was going through his bag, Seungmin noticed an unfamiliar book near the edge of Hyunjin’s desk. It caught his interest, not exactly knowing what the words in the title makes them out to be.

“Hyunjin, if I’m not mistaken, that’s not the book we’re currently reading in class.”

Hyunjin’s eyes averted to the book, “Oh. Yeah, it’s just a book I read for fun. I’m actually returning it today.”

“Hyunjin, is it alright if I come along with you? To the library, I mean. I’ve been needing to catch up on my reading.”

“Sure, beats being alone.” Hyunjin shrugged. “While we’re there, I could help you with your reading.”

“I suppose we could do that too, I’m not entirely foreign to the Latin alphabet, you know?”

“Oh, I didn’t mean for it to sound like an offense-”

Seungmin softly laughed, “I didn’t take it as one. I would appreciate it if you’d help me get better at reading scripts using the Latin alphabet.”

“So long as you accompany me to the library later on.” Hyunjin held his left hand out.

Seungmin secured his hand with Hyunjin, shaking it lightly, “We’ve got a deal.”

•

The bell rang once again, all students rushed out of their classes to make the most out of the short minutes they’ve been given to socialize, eat and catch up on any work they’ve yet to finish.

Seungmin and Jeongin bumped into each other in the halls, deciding to walk together to meet up with the others for lunch.

“Jeongin, I won’t be having lunch today.” Seungmin said.

“Why not?” Jeongin faced his friend, head slightly tilted.

“Hyunjin and I are going to the library. He’s going to help me improve with reading in old English.”

“You mean that ancient language mostly used for plays and stuff?” Jeongin sneered, “Seungmin, you do know we’re not required to learn it.”

“I know, I just thought that I might learn a thing or two with the remainder of our school days in here.”

“You’re so sentimental.” Jeongin teased, “Anyway, once we go back, all that studying will be useless. We don’t even care for dead human languages.”

The two managed to find Beomgyu somewhere along the crowd, guiding the two lost friends to where everyone else was at. As they walked past the corridors, Seungmin can’t help but notice how social Beomgyu was opposed to himself.

Deep down inside, Seungmin wished he were the slightest bit like Beomgyu. To be someone who didn’t have any troubles with interactions. To be able to show his inner self to everyone else without feeling hesitant at all.

Seungmin also understood that he doesn’t exactly know anything about Beomgyu, but he’d give everything to have such confidence.

“If you gentlemen don’t mind,” Hyunjin shows up out of nowhere, “Seungmin and I won’t be joining the rest of you for today. We’ll be at the library.”

“Why would Seungmin want to spend his lunch period at the library?” Jinyoung asked.

“I haven’t read in a while, and I really would like to at least catch up on my reading, so I’ll be with Hyunjin for the time being… if you don’t mind.” Seungmin said rather gently.

“Not at all. Sorry if my question sounded off.” Jinyoung apologized.

“No need to apologize, really.” Seungmin smiled.

“We’ll get going.” Hyunjin initiated, “See you guys later.” he waves, tilting his head to alert Seungmin; who nodded, waving goodbye to the rest as well.

Eventually, the two found themselves hidden amongst the shelves of the school’s decently large library. Hyunjin decided to show Seungmin the fantasy section first, seeing as there were rows and rows of shelves dedicated to the genre- not to mention that it is Hyunjin’s personal favorite genre.

“You should try reading the Harry Potter books, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of the series, it’s pretty well known.” Hyunjin suggested.

“Not really familiar with the series…”

“How about PJO?” Hyunjin asked.

“What’s _PJO_?” Seungmin’s brows furrowed.

“Are you sure your parents allow you to have fun? It seems to me that they don’t.” Hyunjin stated, genuinely.

“Oh, but they do.” Seungmin disagreed. “Sure, they can be strict with certain things- for good reasons, but they’ve never really banned me from doing anything. We’re just not that big on popular stuff back at home, I guess.”

“Ah.” Hyunjin noted.

Seungmin strayed away from Hyunjin’s sight, approaching the near end of the section they were in. There he found a book which had a bright pink cover, outshining the other books on the shelves and the ones nearby.

Seungmin decided to reach for the book, inspecting the impressive design of the cover. In it, there was a picture of a maiden and some sort of creature covered in fur.

Out of interest, Seungmin flipped the book open and though his reading skills in English weren’t the sharpest, he could still understand words from here and there.

Hyunjin noticed, he then began to walk to where his friend was. “You found something?” he asked.

“I did.” Seungmin closed the book, showing it to Hyunjin.

" _Beauty and the Beast._ I know this story by heart… I think.” Hyunjin mumbles, “I’m not really sure, but I watched the animated version of it as a child.”

“What is it about?” Seungmin asked.

“Well, it’s about a woman; whom the people say is the most beautiful out of all, and a beast who’s heartless and… well, _rude?_ Anyway, the only big take on this is that the beauty managed to turn the beast soft, some fight scenes happen, they fell in love and lived happily ever after.”

“Sounds appealing.”

“It’s how the animated version one goes, I don’t know about the original story. I’m not really big into romance.” Hyunjin shrugged as they took a seat at one of the tables, placing his books to the side.

“I’d like to read it.” Seungmin says. “The cover is drawing me in.”

Hyunjin nodded, “Usually I’d tell people to not judge a book by its cover, but seeing as I already know how the story goes, you’ve picked a great book. I’ll go check it out, I need to return this anyhow.”

Seungmin thanked Hyunjin, sitting down on an empty table, which Hyunjin had already claimed earlier by placing their bags on the chairs.

While Hyunjin got their books sorted, Seungmin began to feel immense pain growing from his back. He quietly hissed at it, trying to locate the pain, and as he did he felt something rough and wet; like a huge scab had been engraved through his skin.

He then realized that his shirt was getting soaked from it. Blood. It was blood. Seungmin stared at his red fingers with disbelief.

“No…” he whispered, now inspecting the left side of his back. Like before, he felt nothing but rough and sharp peaks drowning in deep red fluid near his shoulder blades.

Horrified at the sight of his hands, Seungmin didn’t think twice about running out of the library. Hyunjin noticed, following his friend, completely forgetting about the books the library worker had just scanned.

Seungmin tried to search for the nearest restroom, but he still has yet to know his way around the place. Hyunjin was able to catch up to him, grabbing Seungmin’s left arm.

“Why’d you run off?” Hyunjin exhaled.

“I need to go.”

“Go where?!”

“Home. I have to go home.” Seungmin replied.

“Why?” Hyunjin was beyond confused. Without knowing what’s currently happening, he thought his new friend just wanted to ditch him.

Seungmin didn’t answer his question, instead he just stood still, back facing Hyunjin. The top part of Seungmin’s back was becoming redder and redder, Hyunjin took a step forward, hesitating to say anything.

“It’s getting worse.” Seungmin tried to put his backpack on to hide the mess but it just made it even more painful.

“What happened?” Hyunjin hurried to grab Seungmin’s bag, carrying it for him instead.

“I- I don’t know either. I just started bleeding out of nowhere- I need to go, before anything else happens.”

“What do you mean? Let’s bring you to the nurse’s office-” Hyunjin tried to bring them to the office but Seungmin pulled away.

“No! This is something far more serious, Hyunjin. I need to find Daehwi.”

“Daehwi?”

“He’ll bring me home.”

“Let’s get you checked, just in case-”

“I don’t need to be checked!” silence arose in the halls, leaving a stunned Hyunjin and a weary Seungmin.

“Hyunjin, just please bring me to where Daehwi is. Please.” Seungmin pleaded.

A bit taken back with the sudden change in Seungmin’s tone and attitude, Hyunjin complied. It isn’t like he had any other option.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler(?): Next chapter will be different. It'll also be up next week.
> 
> Another thing: I managed to get my Wattpad back but all my books have been deleted :)  
> \- Good thing is that I wrote the non ff version of this story on Google docs so I'll just transfer it to Wattpad. Also the map will be up along with the next update.


	9. VII. A Surprise Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two boys seek out to find two missing princes

**Chapter 7: A Surprise Visit**

  
“We shouldn’t be far from the Seo estate, son. If I could guess correctly, we’ll be there in about seven minutes… at most.” the ambassador announced.

“The Seo estate?” the young lad put his book down, adjusting his glasses at the process. “Shouldn’t we be heading for the academy? After all, the entirety of the Seo family works there.”

“On the contrary. The eldest Seo has retired from teaching, he’s the one the Empress and officials are hoping to meet.” the ambassador informs.

“And how are we certain that he resides at the estate.”

“The Seos are one of, if not, the most rigorous and reserved family in our world. It’d be impossible to find a Seo living outside Corvus land. Besides, we’ve exchanged letters prior to this trip.”

“I see.” the young one was about to resume his reading until he was interrupted by the coach door opening.

“It seems that we’ve arrived. Sooner than I’ve expected.” the ambassador headed out first, leaving his son inside.

The ambassador’s son looked out the coach window. In front of him stood a flight of wide steps, leading to the estate’s doors which is surrounded by tall pillars in each corner of the platform in which it stands.

“I didn’t expect for the estate to be this grand…”

“You haven’t seen anything yet.” the ambassador laughed, “As mentioned, the Seos are- well- discreet, to say the least. They aren’t exactly the type of people to be disturbed.”

“Ah.” the young one removed his glasses, placing it down on top of his book before heading out.

The sight awed him. The estate was nowhere near small, nor was it as big as a palace, it was just simply out of the ordinary. The gardens on the front courtyard were equally as breathtaking.

Going up the stairs, the ambassador’s son recognized how there were emblems of the crow in every part of the estate, representing the Seo’s family symbol.

From the large silver crows attached to the entrance door, to the stoned crow on top of the fountain in the middle of the courtyard.

“They must really value their family symbol.” the ambassador’s son says.

“Indeed. They are known for, not only their keen and astounding intelligence, but also for putting a lot of respect to their family name, honoring the ones who came before them.”

The coachman had already taken off to station their horses and the coach to the estate’s stables.

The ambassador knocked twice using the silver handles just beneath the silver crows mentioned before.

The doors swung open from the inside, there it revealed a tall, slim man, around the same age as the ambassador, in a formal uniform; a butler, perhaps.

“We’re here on behalf of the Empress, to see the eldest Seo.” the ambassador informed.

The man nodded, letting the two gentlemen inside the estate.

“Ambassador Lee, you’ve arrived earlier than expected.”

“Came as a surprise to us as well, young Seo.” The Lees both bowed down, so did the young Seo.

“Please, call me Johnny.” Johnny smiled, “My grandfather should be at his suite- speaking of which, we should get the two of you settled to your suites. Where are your belongings? Don’t tell me the two of you forgot to pack for your two day trip.” Johnny kid, laughing along his statement.

Ambassador Lee chuckled sternly, “I assure you, we’ve prepared for this trip. Our belongings are just stashed away inside the coach.”

“I’ll go get the staff to bring your items to your rooms. For the meantime, would the two of you care for some lunch? I’ll have the cook prepare your meals.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but is Changbin around?” the young Lee disrupted.

Johnny turned to face him, so did his father. At first, the young Lee thought he for sure was going to be in trouble but Johnny just smiled.

“My cousin should be up in his room, which is located on the opposite wing. The door by the large windows on the right side leads to his room. I could take you there if you want.”

“That won’t be necessary,” the young Lee shook his head, “I’m sure I’ll find my way around here, but thank you for the offer mister Se- Johnny.” the young Lee bowed down once again before walking the opposite direction.

The young Lee followed Johnny’s instructions, getting lost in every turn he has taken. He eventually took a left turn where he was greeted with the large windows he’s been looking for.

“Finally-”

“May I help you?” the young Lee turned to face the owner of the voice, in front of him stood a young lad around his age, large black wings fluttering up as an act of defense.

After realizing who it was, the lad’s wings swiftly folded comfortably behind his back. “What in the world are you doing here?”

“Your cousin told me that your room is located on the right side by the big windows, which made me confused- seeing as we’re clearly on the left wing-”

“But he was right,” the person walked towards a door, “Right side. Large windows.”

“Oh…”

“Anyway, what are you doing here- better yet- why were you looking for my room?”

“I wasn’t looking for your room, I was looking for you.” the young Lee corrected, “I figured you’d be at your room, so I asked.”

“What do you need from me?” the person raised a brow.

“I can’t tell you here.”

“Why not?”

“Because someone could hear us.”

“And why does that matter?”

The young Lee held his breath in before slowly letting it out, “I’d tell you, but we need to be somewhere far from people. Please, Changbin?”

Changbin gave in, opening the door to his room, “This better be important because I don’t want to waste my ti-”

“It’s about the disappearance of the princes.” the young Lee said straightforwardly.

Changbin tensed up, stopping his hand from reaching the door before he could lock it. “What about them?” 

“I have a feeling where they could be. I’ve told my father about it, and he told the Empress, which is why we’re here.”

“Still doesn’t explain why you’re looking for me. Anyway, where do you think they could be?”

“I don’t think they’re here at all. I think they’ve escaped to Novrra.”

Changbin’s eyes widened, “Impossible.”

“Think about it,” the young Lee says, “Felix has always been so determined to find the rightful heir to the throne. Everyone knows the heir isn’t living anywhere near Miradona, it makes perfect sense.”

“Let’s say you were right, how’d they find a way to get there? None of them has access to portals.”

“Do you remember how it’s said that there’s a portal between the worlds that can’t be closed? I’m thinking he’s found it.”

“And what about the prince of Empyrea?”

“They’re best friends, he probably dragged him along.”

“Okay, I see your point.” Changbin waved, “Still, what does all of that have to do with _me_?”

“Remember how you showed me a trick when we were still attending Elysian?”

“Which one? I’ve shown you a lot of them.”

“The one that involves the apple- what I’m trying to say is that I need you to open a portal.”

Changbin’s entire body jumped after hearing about the young Lee’s suggestion, “Are you out of your mind?!”

“Look, you’re the only one I know who could do it. The Empress is recruiting people in your family to continue with creating the artificial portal to the other dimension, since the only known portal there has been sealed off.”

“I don’t even know if I could control it properly- Minho, I can’t. I don’t want to humiliate myself in front of the Empress herself, nor do I want to disappoint my family.”

“No one has to know. We could go to the other side ourselves, in secret. Just the two of us.”

“Minho-” Changbin wailed.

“Please, Changbin.” Minho pleaded, “Their lives are at risk.”

“Fine.” Changbin heaves, “You do realize that we’re putting our own lives on the line, right?”

“Yeah, but I’ll take my chances.” Minho shrugged.

Changbin falls to his bed, covering his eyes with his forearm, “When do you suggest we do it?”

“I was thinking if we could do it now?”

Changbin immediately sprung up, “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”

“My father and I are only staying here for the night. We’d be gone by tomorrow so we have to make use of the little time we have.”

“I guess you’re right.” Changbin sighed, resting a palm on his forehead. “What should we pack?”

“Why would we need to pack?” Minho tilted his head, walking towards Changbin.

“Shouldn’t we bring something that’ll help us survive through that world? We’re not exactly familiar with anyone, or anything, in that dimension.”

“Maybe we should just wear something suitable.” Minho suggested, “We don’t want to stand out.”

“Ah, yes. Forget about food and water, only the two most important necessities to bring along on a risky trip.” Changbin sarcastically remarked.

Minho gives him an unamused face, “We’re not going to make any stops for anything. We’re only going there to find the missing princes, then we’ll head straight back home.”

Changbin got up to his feet, “You better stand back. I don't know how to control warps correctly. It could get out of hand when it spawns.”

Changbin made his way to his closet, grabbing two hooded capes. “Considering how we’ve got no idea how locals dress like, this is the best I have to offer.”

“We’ll have to make do.” Minho grabbed a cape, immediately putting it on. “Thank you.”

Changbin nodded, putting his hood up. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Minho shrugged, taking a couple of steps back as Changbin stood in the middle of his room.

Changbin stretched his hands, swiftly blowing a wisp of air out, closing his eyes as he focused on what was in front of him.

Minho could see Changbin’s veins visible on his forehead, then out of nowhere, a ring of purple clouds appeared right in front of them, surrounding a dark void.

“Get in. Now!” Changbin demanded, “I don’t know how long it’ll last.”

Minho nodded, clenching his fists tightly as he hurried into the ring. Once Minho was out of sight, Changbin hopped in as fast as he could, closing the portal along with him.

APPEARANCE

Johnny Seo (NCT): Changbin's cousin

GLOSSARY  
  


**Miradona** : A world parallel to Novrra  
• Origin: Short for Mirabile donum naturae, Latin for amazing gift of nature

 **Empyrea** : A realm in Miradona  
• Origin: A synonym for the Heavens

 **Corvus** : A domain in Empyrea  
• Origin: named after the Crow constellation, it is also the Latin word for the said bird.

 **Elysian** : An academy located in the Arca Isles  
• Origin: The Elysian fields of Greek mythology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minho and Changbin makes an appearance :D The next member's going to appear later on and the last member's not going to be around for another 10-15 chapters. Like said, this story goes pretty slow.
> 
> Also, the map is up on Wattpad!
> 
> Next chapter will be up next week!


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